Abstract:

A safety device for a vehicle, capable of relaxing a collision load acting
on a colliding body. The safety device (10) for a vehicle has colliding
body receiving sections (24), and opposite longitudinal ends of each
colliding body receiving section (24) are bent to form legs (26) having
ends (26A). The ends (26A) are fixed to side frames (16) on the vehicle
body side to form impact absorption members (22). The safety device (10)
is adapted so that, while supporting a collision load, the impact
absorption members (22) are displaced to absorb collision energy of the
colliding body. The impact absorption members (22) can produce
displacement regions that acts against an increase in the displacement in
the direction of collision to suppress an increase in supporting load.

Claims:

1. A vehicle safety device which is displaced while supporting a collision
load thereby absorbing collision energy of a collision object,
comprising:an impact absorption unit which can generate a displacement
area that suppresses an increase in a supported load with respect to an
increase in displacement in the direction of collision.

2. The vehicle safety device according to claim 1, wherein the impact
absorption unit comprises:an impact absorption body having an elongated
load input portion, a pair of legs each being coupled at one end to a
different end in the longitudinal direction of the load input portion,
and a support portion to which the other ends of the pair of legs are
fixed such that contact and separation of each of the pair of legs in the
longitudinal direction of the load input portion is regulated;a drive
unit which can drive the impact absorption body in a direction of
separation from the vehicle body; anda controller which, if the
controller has predicted a collision with the collision object, controls
the drive unit so that the impact absorption body is driven by a
predetermined amount in the direction of separation from the vehicle
body.

3. A vehicle safety device provided with an impact absorption unit, the
impact absorption unit comprising:an impact absorption body having a
elongated load input portion, a pair of legs each being coupled at one
end to a different end in the longitudinal direction of the load input
portion, and a support portion to which the other ends of the pair of
legs are fixed such that contact and separation of each of the pair of
legs in the longitudinal direction of the load input portion is
regulated;a drive unit which can drive the impact absorption body in a
direction of separation from the vehicle body; anda controller which, if
the controller has predicted a collision with the collision object,
controls the drive unit so that the impact absorption body is driven by
the predetermined amount in the direction of separation from the vehicle
body.

4. The vehicle safety device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein:the
collision absorption body is supported so that one end side thereof can
rotate with respect to the vehicle body; andthe drive unit is controlled
by the controller, and rotates the impact absorption body by an angle of
50.degree. to 80.degree. with respect to the vehicle body in a direction
in which the other end side of the impact absorption body separates from
the vehicle body.

5. The vehicle safety device according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
wherein the pair of legs is formed integrally with the load input
portion, which is formed in the shape of a plate, by folding both ends in
the longitudinal direction of the load input portion.

6. The vehicle safety device according to claim 5, wherein, in the impact
absorption body, the pair of legs is formed on one side in the plate
thickness direction of the load input portion, and the impact absorption
body is supported by the drive unit in a state where the support portion
is positioned further to a vehicle body side than the load input portion.

7. The vehicle safety device according to any one of claims 2 to 6,
wherein the impact absorption body is configured by providing plural load
input portions in parallel in a direction which is orthogonal to the
longitudinal direction of the load input portion and which is also
orthogonal to the contact and separation direction with respect to the
vehicle body.

8. The vehicle safety device according to claim 1, wherein the impact
absorption unit comprises:a load input portion provided contactably and
separably with respect to the vehicle body;a drive unit which can drive
the load input portion in a direction of approaching the vehicle body;
anda controller which, if the collision object has collided with the load
input portion, controls the drive unit so as to generate a displacement
area which suppresses an increase in a supported load with respect to an
increase in displacement in the direction of collision of the collision
object.

9. A vehicle safety device provided with an impact absorption unit, the
impact absorption unit comprising:a load input portion provided
contactably and separably with respect to the vehicle body;a drive unit
which can drive the load input portion in a direction of approaching the
vehicle body; anda controller which, if a collision object has collided
with the load input portion, controls the drive unit so that the load
input portion is driven toward the vehicle body side while supporting a
collision load.

10. The vehicle safety device according to claim 8 or 9, whereinthe drive
unit is configured so as to be capable of driving the load input portion
in the direction of approaching the vehicle body and in the direction of
separation from the vehicle body; andthe controller controls the drive
unit such that, if the controller has predicted a collision with the
collision object, the load input portion is driven in the direction of
separation from the vehicle body by a predetermined amount; and after
collision of the collision object with the load input portion, the load
input portion is driven in the direction of approaching the vehicle body.

11. The vehicle safety device according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
wherein, based on a predicted value of at least one of a collision speed
of a collision between the collision object and the vehicle body and the
size of the collision object, the controller sets at least one of a drive
amount of the load input portion when driven by the drive unit in the
direction of separation from the vehicle body, a drive amount of the load
input portion when driven by the drive unit in the direction of
approaching the vehicle body from a position separated from the vehicle
body, and a drive speed of the load input portion when driven by the
drive unit in the direction of approaching the vehicle body from a
position separated from the vehicle body.

12. The vehicle safety device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
wherein the impact absorption unit is provided at a vehicle body front
portion, thereby absorbing an impact energy of a collision object that
collides with the vehicle body downward in a vertical direction of the
vehicle.

13. The vehicle safety device according to claim 12, further comprising a
guide unit which guides a collision object located on a road surface so
that the collision object collides with the impact absorption unit.

14. The vehicle safety device according to claim 13, whereinthe impact
absorption unit extends in the vehicle width direction; andthe guide unit
is configured so as to guide the collision object to a center portion in
the vehicle width direction of the impact absorption unit.

15. The vehicle safety device according to claim 14, wherein the guide
unit comprises:a pair of advance and retreat members which can
independently attain a protrusion position, which protrudes from the
vehicle body in the vehicle body front-rear direction, and a retreat
position which is at a rear side in the vehicle body front-rear direction
with respect to the protrusion position;a guide member which bridges the
pair of advance and retreat members;a guide driving unit which can impart
a drive force in the vehicle front-rear direction to the pair of advance
and retreat members, independently; anda guide controller which controls
the drive unit according to the collision position or the predicted
collision position of the collision object in the vehicle width direction
of the guide member.

16. The vehicle safety device according to any one of claims 12 to 15,
further comprising an expelling unit which if it is determined that the
predicted collision position of the collision object or a guide position
of the guide unit is offset outside a predetermined range of the impact
absorption unit, expels the collision object toward the outside of the
vehicle body in the vehicle width direction.

17. A vehicle safety device comprising:an impact absorption portion which
is displaced from a vehicle body while supporting a collision load,
thereby absorbing collision energy of a collision object; anda reversion
restraining unit which restrains the impact absorption portion from
reverting after absorption of collision energy.

18. The vehicle safety device according to claim 17, whereinthe impact
absorption portion comprises an elastic member which deforms elastically
while absorbing collision energy of the collision object; andthe
reversion restraining unit is configured so as to restrain the elastic
member from reverting after absorption of the collision energy.

19. The vehicle safety device according to claim 18, whereinthe elastic
member comprises a load input portion that is elongated in the vehicle
width direction, and a pair of support portions which support both ends
in the longitudinal direction of the load input portion, such that the
respective ends can be angularly displaced in direction orthogonal to the
longitudinal direction of the load input portion with respect to the
vehicle body; andthe reversion restraining unit comprises a mechanism
which allows both ends in the longitudinal direction of the load input
portion to be angularly displaced around the support portion together
with a deflection deformation of the load input portion toward the
vehicle body side, and which prevents both ends in the longitudinal
direction of the load input portion from being angularly displaced around
the support portion in the reversion direction of the load input portion
after absorption of the collision energy in the collision with the
collision object.

20. The vehicle safety device according to any one of claims 17 to 19,
whereinthe impact absorption portion is supported contactably and
separably with respect to the vehicle body; andan impact absorption
portion driving unit is further provided which drives the impact
absorption portion to an impact absorption position separated from the
vehicle body if a collision with the collision object is predicted.

21. The vehicle safety device according to claim 20, wherein the impact
absorption portion driving unit drives the impact absorption portion
toward the vehicle body side after the collision object collides with the
impact absorption portion.

Description:

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001]The present invention relates to a vehicle safety device for
alleviating impact which a collision object with a vehicle body receives.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002]In order to alleviate impact acting on a collision object which
collides with a bonnet (engine hood) exposed face up at the vehicle front
portion, there has been known a technology in which a back end of a
bonnet of which a leading end is supported rotatably by a vehicle body is
bounced up simultaneously with collision of the collision object thereby
to secure an impact-absorption stroke (refer to, for example, Patent
Document 1: JP-UM-A No. 49-110432). Further, there has been known a
technology in which a bonnet is composed of a double structural body, and
a surface layer of the bonnet is swelled upward by fluid pressure at the
collision detecting time thereby to secure an impact absorption stroke
(refer to, for example, Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 10-217903).
Furthermore, there has been known a technology in which a hood bag is
developed so as to cover the upper surface of a bonnet when a vehicle has
predicted the collision (refer to, for example, Patent Document 3: JP-A
No. 8-183423).

[0003]Further, in order to alleviate impact acting on a collision object
which collides with an engine hood located at the vehicle front portion,
there has been known a technology in which a hood bag is developed so as
to cover the upper surface of a bonnet when a vehicle predicts the
collision (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 3 and 4: JP-A No.
2004-175153). In the technology in the Patent Document 3, the collision
object is grasped by an adhesive layer provided for an airbag thereby to
prevent the collision object from falling down on a road surface.
Further, in the technology in the Patent Document 4, a gate bag developed
in the arch shape is provided for an airbag, and a protection net is
provided inside the gate bag to prevent the collision object from falling
down on a road surface.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004]However, in the above conventional each technology, there is fear
that a load acting on the collision object increases gradually during the
impact absorption because the deformation amount of a spring increases as
the collision object approaches the vehicle, or because of the structure
in which the internal pressure of the portion swelled up by the pressure
is increased. Therefore, there is room for improvement in this point.
Further, in the technology in the Patent Document 4, if inertial force of
the collision object is large, the airbag is separated from the vehicle
body. Therefore, there is possibility that the collision object cannot be
retained by the vehicle body. Further, in the technology in the Patent
Document 3, there is fear that the collision object grasped by the
protection net may fall from the opening side of the gate bag after
impact absorption.

[0005]It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle safety
device capable of alleviating a collision load acting on a collision
object.

Method of Solving the Problem

[0006]A vehicle safety device according to a first aspect of the present
invention is a vehicle safety device which is displaced while supporting
a collision load thereby absorbing collision energy of a collision
object, comprising: an impact absorption unit which can generate a
displacement area that suppresses an increase in a supported load with
respect to an increase in displacement in the direction of collision.

[0007]According to the above aspect, when the collision object collides
with the impact absorption unit (with a vehicle body through the impact
absorption unit), the impact absorption unit is displaced toward the
vehicle body side while supporting the collision load, and the collision
energy is absorbed by the integral of the load and the displacement. The
impact absorption unit configuring the vehicle safety device, since it
has the displacement area which is displaced while suppressing the
increase in supporting collision load (>0) and absorbs the impact
energy, restrains a high (peak) load from acting on the collision object
during aborting the impact energy.

[0008]Thus, the vehicle safety device according to the above aspect can
alleviate the collision load acting on the collision object.

[0009]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption unit comprises: an impact absorption body having an
elongated load input portion, a pair of legs each being coupled at one
end to a different end in the longitudinal direction of the load input
portion, and a support portion to which the other ends of the pair of
legs are fixed such that contact and separation of each of the pair of
legs in the longitudinal direction of the load input portion is
regulated; a drive unit which can drive the impact absorption body in a
direction of separation from the vehicle body; and a controller which, if
the controller has predicted a collision with the collision object,
controls the drive unit so that the impact absorption body is driven by a
predetermined amount in the direction of separation from the vehicle
body.

[0010]According to the above aspect, if the collision of the collision
object with the load input portion is not predicted, the load input
portion is located in a close position to the vehicle body. On the other
hand, the controller, if it has predicted the collision of the collision
object, controls the drive unit and moves the impact absorption body from
the close position to the separated position. Hereby, an impact
absorption stroke by which the load input portion of the impact
absorption body can be displaced toward the vehicle body side is created.
When the collision object collides with the load input portion of the
impact absorption body, the impact energy is absorbed while the long load
input portion is deflected. Here, this energy absorption body, since the
relative displacement (contact and separation in the longitudinal
direction of the load input portion) of the pair of legs each fixed to
the support portion is regulated, can obtain, by deformation of the pair
of legs (by deformation of a corner portion between the pair of legs and
the load input portion), the displacement area which acts against the
increase in displacement to suppress the increase in supporting collision
load. At this time, since the impact absorption stroke is created by the
action of the drive unit before the collision as described above,
favorable impact absorption by the impact absorption body is secured.

[0011]A vehicle safety device according to a second aspect of the present
invention provided with an impact absorption unit, the impact absorption
unit comprising: an impact absorption body having a elongated load input
portion, a pair of legs each being coupled at one end to a different end
in the longitudinal direction of the load input portion, and a support
portion to which the other ends of the pair of legs are fixed such that
contact and separation of each of the pair of legs in the longitudinal
direction of the load input portion is regulated; a drive unit which can
drive the impact absorption body in a direction of separation from the
vehicle body; and a controller which, if the controller has predicted a
collision with the collision object, controls the drive unit so that the
impact absorption body is driven by the predetermined amount in the
direction of separation from the vehicle body.

[0012]According to the above aspect, if the collision of the collision
object with the load input portion is not predicted, the load input
portion is located in the position close to the vehicle body. On the
other hand, the controller, if it has predicted the collision of the
collision object, controls the drive unit and moves the impact absorption
body from the close position to the separated position. Hereby, an impact
absorption stroke by which the load input portion of the impact
absorption body can be displaced toward the vehicle body side is created.
When the collision object collides with the load input portion of the
impact absorption body, the impact energy is absorbed while the long load
input portion is deflected. Here, this energy absorption body, since the
relative displacement (contact and separation in the longitudinal
direction of the load input portion) of the pair of legs each fixed to
the support portion is regulated, can obtain, by deformation of the pair
of legs (by deformation of a corner portion between the pair of legs and
the load input portion), a good impact absorbing characteristic in which
a peak load is suppressed. At this time, since the impact absorption
stroke is created by the action of the drive unit before the collision as
described above, favorable impact absorption by the impact absorption
body is secured.

[0013]Thus, the vehicle safety device according to the above aspect can
alleviate the collision load acting on the collision object.

[0014]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
collision absorption body is supported so that one end side thereof can
rotate with respect to the vehicle body; and the drive unit is controlled
by the controller, and rotates the impact absorption body by an angle of
50° to 80° with respect to the vehicle body in a direction
in which the other end side of the impact absorption body separates from
the vehicle body.

[0015]According to the above aspect, the impact absorption stroke created
by the action of the drive unit before the collision is given by an
angular displacement of the impact absorption body with respect to the
vehicle body. Since this angular displacement is 50° to
80°, the favorable impact absorption by the impact absorption body
is secured.

[0016]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
pair of legs is formed integrally with the load input portion, which is
formed in the shape of a plate, by folding both ends in the longitudinal
direction of the load input portion.

[0017]According to the above aspect, the both ends in the longitudinal
direction of the long load input portion are formed in the folding shape,
whereby the pair of legs continue integrally. Therefore, it is possible
to obtain favorable impact absorption characteristics, such as the
definite creation of a displacement area that suppresses an increase in a
supporting collision load (>0), and which displaces to absorb impact
energy.

[0018]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein, in the
impact absorption body, the pair of legs is formed on one side in the
plate thickness direction of the load input portion, and the impact
absorption body is supported by the drive unit in a state where the
support portion is positioned further to a vehicle body side than the
load input portion.

[0019]According to the above aspect, the impact absorption body, since the
pair of legs are fold from the both ends in the longitudinal direction of
the load input portion to the same side in the plate thickness, is formed
in the substantially U-shape which opens to the vehicle body side.
Hereby, the impact absorption stroke is easily secured by the shape and
state of the impact absorption body, and a better impact absorption
characteristic can be obtained.

[0020]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption body is configured by providing plural load input
portions in parallel in a direction which is orthogonal to the
longitudinal direction of the load input portion and which is also
orthogonal to the contact and separation direction with respect to the
vehicle body.

[0021]According to the above aspect, since the impact absorption body is
configured by including plural combinations of the load input portions
arranging in parallel in the above direction and the pair of legs, the
collision object that is long in the specified direction can be surely
supported and the collision energy can be effectively absorbed.

[0022]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption unit comprises: a load input portion provided
contactably and separably with respect to the vehicle body; a drive unit
which can drive the load input portion in a direction of approaching the
vehicle body; and a controller which, if the collision object has
collided with the load input portion, controls the drive unit so as to
generate a displacement area which suppresses an increase in a supported
load with respect to an increase in displacement in the direction of
collision of the collision object.

[0023]According to the above aspect, if the collision object has collided
with the load input portion, the controller controls the drive unit to
subject the load input portion to displacement toward the vehicle body
side, whereby the collision energy can be absorbed while suppressing the
increase in the supporting impact load accompanied by the increase in the
displacement.

[0024]A vehicle safety device according to a third aspect of the invention
provided with an impact absorption unit, the impact absorption unit
comprising: a load input portion provided contactably and separably with
respect to the vehicle body; a drive unit which can drive the load input
portion in a direction of approaching the vehicle body; and a controller
which, if a collision object has collided with the load input portion,
controls the drive unit so that the load input portion is driven toward
the vehicle body side while supporting a collision load.

[0025]According to the above aspect, if the collision object has collided
with the load input portion, the controller controls the drive unit so
that the load input portion is displaced toward the vehicle body side.
Hereby, this vehicle safety device, during the absorption of the impact
energy, obtains a displacement area which is displaced while suppressing
an increase in a supporting collision load (, for example, so that the
supporting load does not increase) and absorbs the impact energy, and
restrains a high (peak) load from acting on the collision object during
absorption of the impact energy.

[0026]Thus, in the vehicle safety device according to the above aspect, it
is possible to alleviate the collision load which acts on the collision
object.

[0027]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
drive unit is configured so as to be capable of driving the load input
portion in the direction of approaching the vehicle body and in the
direction of separation from the vehicle body; and the controller
controls the drive unit such that, if the controller has predicted a
collision with the collision object, the load input portion is driven in
the direction of separation from the vehicle body by a predetermined
amount; and after collision of the collision object with the load input
portion, the load input portion is driven in the direction of approaching
the vehicle body.

[0028]According to the above aspect, if the collision of the collision
object with the load input portion is not predicted, the load input
portion is located in the position close to the vehicle body. On the
other hand, the controller, if it has predicted the collision of the
collision object with the load input portion, controls the drive unit and
moves the load input portion from the position close to the vehicle
position to the position apart from the vehicle body. Hereby, an impact
absorption stroke by which the load input portion can be displaced toward
the vehicle body side is created. The controller, when the collision
object collides with the load input portion (when the controller detects
that the collision object has collided with the load input portion),
subjects the load input portion to displacement to the close position
side (to the vehicle body side) by the drive force of the drive unit so
that the collision load does not increase at least at a specified
displacement area. Hereby, in the collision object, while the collision
load (reaction force of the collision load) acting at least at the
specified displacement area is suppressed, the collision energy is
absorbed.

[0029]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein, based
on a predicted value of at least one of a collision speed of a collision
between the collision object and the vehicle body and the size of the
collision object, the controller sets at least one of a drive amount of
the load input portion when driven by the drive unit in the direction of
separation from the vehicle body, a drive amount of the load input
portion when driven by the drive unit in the direction of approaching the
vehicle body from a position separated from the vehicle body, and a drive
speed of the load input portion when driven by the drive unit in the
direction of approaching the vehicle body from a position separated from
the vehicle body.

[0030]According to the above aspect, the controller, according to the
collision speed of the collision object with the vehicle body and the
size of the collision object, that is, according to the collision energy
and the like, sets the moving amount of the load input portion to the
separated position side by the drive unit, the moving amount from the
separated position to the close position (impact absorption stroke), and
the moving speed (supporting load). Hereby, it is possible to perform
impact absorption effectively according to the collision form or the kind
of collision object.

[0031]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption unit is provided at a vehicle body front portion,
thereby absorbing an impact energy of a collision object that collides
with the vehicle body downward in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0032]According to the above aspect, the impact absorption unit (load
input portion) is provided at the vehicle body front portion at least
positioned upward in the vertical direction of the vehicle, so that the
impact absorption unit can effectively absorb the impact energy of the
collision object which has a velocity component in a downward direction
upon collision.

[0033]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein may
further comprising a guide unit which guides a collision object located
on a road surface so that the collision object collides with the impact
absorption unit.

[0034]According to the above aspect, firstly, the guide unit leads the
collision object to the impact absorption unit so that the collision
object collides with the impact absorption unit (load input portion) with
the downward component of velocity. Hereby, the guide unit surely makes
the collision object collide with the impact absorption unit, so that the
impact energy can be effectively absorbed by the impact absorption unit.

[0035]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption unit extends in the vehicle width direction; and the
guide unit is configured so as to guide the collision object to a center
portion in the vehicle width direction of the impact absorption unit.

[0036]According to the above aspect, the leans device, if the contact
position of the collision object is offset in the vehicle width direction
from the center in the vehicle width direction of the impact absorption
unit, leads the collision object to the center side in the vehicle width
direction of the impact absorption unit. Hereby, regardless of the
initial contact (collision) position of the collision object with the
vehicle body, the collision energy can be effectively absorbed by the
impact absorption unit.

[0037]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
guide unit comprises: a pair of advance and retreat members which can
independently attain a protrusion position, which protrudes from the
vehicle body in the vehicle body front-rear direction, and a retreat
position which is at a rear side in the vehicle body front-rear direction
with respect to the protrusion position; a guide member which bridges the
pair of advance and retreat members; a guide driving unit which can
impart a drive force in the vehicle front-rear direction to the pair of
advance and retreat members, independently; and a guide controller which
controls the drive unit according to the collision position or the
predicted collision position of the collision object in the vehicle width
direction of the guide member.

[0038]According to the above aspect, in accordance with the protruding
amount of the pair of advance and retreat members toward the vehicle body
front, the angle of the lead member with respect to the vehicle width
direction can be made different. The lead controller, according to the
contact position between the lead member and the collision object,
adjusts the protruding amount of the pair of advance and retreat member
toward the vehicle body front, that is, the angle of the lead member,
whereby the collision object can be led to the center in the vehicle
width direction of the impact absorption unit.

[0039]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein may
further comprising an expelling unit which if it is determined that the
predicted collision position of the collision object or a guide position
of the guide unit is offset outside a predetermined range of the impact
absorption unit, expels the collision object toward the outside of the
vehicle body in the vehicle width direction.

[0040]According to the above aspect, if it is determined that the
collision object collides with the portion offset from the predetermined
range of the impact absorption unit in the vehicle body, or that the
collision object cannot be guided to the predetermined range (the center
in the vehicle width direction) of the impact absorption unit even by the
action of the guide unit (for example, if it is determined that expulsion
is effective because the collision object cannot be guided to the
predetermined range of the impact absorption unit), the expulsion device
is actuated so that the collision object is expelled to the outside in
the vehicle width direction.

[0041]A vehicle safety device according to a fourth aspect of the
invention comprises an impact absorption portion which is displaced from
a vehicle body while supporting a collision load, thereby absorbing
collision energy of a collision object; and a reversion restraining unit
which restrains the impact absorption portion from reverting after
absorption of collision energy.

[0042]According to the above aspect, when the collision object collides
with the impact absorption portion, the impact absorption portion is
displaced to the vehicle body side while supporting the collision load,
and the collision energy is absorbed by the integral of the load and the
displacement. After the absorption of this energy, reversion of the
impact absorption portion is restrained by the reversion restraining
device. Therefore, it is prevented or effectively restrained that the
collision object is separated (bounced back) from the vehicle body with
the reversion of the impact absorption portion.

[0043]Thus, in the vehicle safety device according to the above aspect,
while the collision load acting on the collision object is alleviated, it
is possible to restrain the collision object from being separated from
the vehicle body.

[0044]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption portion comprises an elastic member which deforms
elastically while absorbing collision energy of the collision object; and
the reversion restraining unit is configured so as to restrain the
elastic member from reverting after absorption of the collision energy.

[0045]According to the above aspect, the elastic member of the impact
absorption portion undergoes elastic deformation (deformation including
elastic deformation) so that the collision portion with the collision
object is displaced toward the vehicle body side, thereby to absorb the
collision energy accompanied with the collision of the collision object.
The reversion restraining device prevents the elastic member of the
impact absorption portion from restoring from the state (deformation
state) after the energy absorption. Hereby, in this vehicle safety
device, it is prevented or effectively restrained that the collision
object is separated (bounced back) from the vehicle body by the elastic
reversion force of the elastic member.

[0046]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
elastic member comprises a load input portion that is elongated in the
vehicle width direction, and a pair of support portions which support
both ends in the longitudinal direction of the load input portion, such
that the respective ends can be angularly displaced in direction
orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the load input portion with
respect to the vehicle body; and the reversion restraining unit comprises
a mechanism which allows both ends in the longitudinal direction of the
load input portion to be angularly displaced around the support portion
together with a deflection deformation of the load input portion toward
the vehicle body side, and which prevents both ends in the longitudinal
direction of the load input portion from being angularly displaced around
the support portion in the reversion direction of the load input portion
after absorption of the collision energy in the collision with the
collision object.

[0047]According to the above aspect, when the collision object collides
with the load input portion of the elastic member, the load input portion
is deflected to the vehicle body side while its both ends in the vehicle
width direction makes angular displacement (including torsion deformation
at the support portion) toward the side where the angular displacement is
permitted by the above mechanism (for example, a ratchet mechanism, a
one-way clutch, or the like) around the support portion, whereby the load
input portion absorbs the collision energy accompanied by the collision
of the collision object. After absorption of the collision load by this
elastic member, the both ends in the longitudinal direction of the
elastic member are prohibited from being angular displaced in the
reversion direction around the support portions. Therefore, regarding the
load input portion of the elastic member, the state after the energy
absorption is kept. Hereby, in this vehicle safety device, it is
prevented or effectively restrained that the collision object is
separated (bounced back) from the vehicle body by the elastic reversion
force of the elastic member.

[0048]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption portion is supported contactably and separably with
respect to the vehicle body; and an impact absorption portion driving
unit is further provided which drives the impact absorption portion to an
impact absorption position separated from the vehicle body if a collision
with the collision object is predicted.

[0049]According to the above aspect, since the impact absorption portion
is separated from the vehicle body before the collision object collides,
a sufficient absorption stroke of the collision energy can be secured.

[0050]In the above aspect, a configuration may be provided wherein the
impact absorption portion driving unit drives the impact absorption
portion toward the vehicle body side after the collision object collides
with the impact absorption portion.

[0051]According to the above aspect, since the impact absorption portion
is displaced toward the vehicle body side after the collision object
collides with the impact absorption portion, a peak of the impact load
acting on the collision object can be reduced (equalized within time).

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

[0052]As described above, the vehicle safety device according to the
invention has a good advantage that a collision load acting on a
collision object can be alleviated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053]FIG. 1 It is a perspective view showing schematically a vehicle
safety device according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0054]FIG. 2A It is a perspective view showing a no-load state of an
impact absorption member configuring the vehicle safety device according
to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0055]FIG. 2B It is a perspective view showing a deformation state of the
impact absorption member configuring the vehicle safety device according
to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0056]FIG. 3 It is a diagram showing a displacement-load characteristic of
the impact absorption member configuring the vehicle safety device
according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0057]FIG. 4A It is a schematic diagram showing a displacement area of an
impact absorption structural body configuring the vehicle safety device
according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0058]FIG. 4B It is a diagram for explaining an effective range of
displacement of the impact absorption structural body configuring the
vehicle safety device according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0059]FIG. 5A It is a perspective view immediately before collision,
showing an energy absorption process of a collision object by the vehicle
safety device according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0060]FIG. 5B It is a perspective view at the initial stage of the
collision, showing the energy absorption process of the collision object
by the vehicle safety device according to the first embodiment of the
invention.

[0061]FIG. 5c It is a perspective view at the middle stage of the
collision, showing the energy absorption process of the collision object
by the vehicle safety device according to the first embodiment of the
invention.

[0062]FIG. 6 It is a side view showing schematically a vehicle safety
device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0063]FIG. 7 It is a side view showing schematically an unfolded state of
the vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0064]FIG. 8 It is a perspective view showing a storage state of the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0065]FIG. 9 It is a perspective view showing an unfolded state of the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0066]FIG. 10A It is a perspective view showing an operating state as a
guide unit of a bounce-up mechanism configuring the vehicle safety device
according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0067]FIG. 10B It is a plan view showing the operating state as the guide
unit of the bounce-up mechanism configuring the vehicle safety device
according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0068]FIG. 11A It is a perspective view showing an operating state as an
expelling unit of the bounce-up mechanism configuring the vehicle safety
device according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0069]FIG. 11B It is a plan view showing the operating state as the
expelling unit of the bounce-up mechanism configuring the vehicle safety
device according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0070]FIG. 12 It is a flowchart showing a control flow of ECU configuring
the vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0071]FIG. 13 It is a diagram showing a control example in a soft mode by
the ECU configuring the vehicle safety device according to the second
embodiment of the invention.

[0072]FIG. 14A It is a side view immediately before collision, showing an
energy absorption process of a collision object by the vehicle safety
device according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0073]FIG. 14B It is a side view in a bounce-up state of the collision
object by the bounce-up mechanism, showing the energy absorption process
of the collision object by the vehicle safety device according to the
second embodiment of the invention.

[0074]FIG. 14C It is a side view at the initial stage of the collision,
showing the energy absorption process of the collision object by the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0075]FIG. 14D It is a side view when the soft mode is started at the
middle stage of the collision, showing the energy absorption process of
the collision object by the vehicle safety device according to the second
embodiment of the invention.

[0076]FIG. 14E It is a side view during execution of the soft mode,
showing the energy absorption process of the collision object by the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0077]FIG. 15A It is a perspective view of a collision preparing state,
showing an energy absorption process of a big collision object by the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0078]FIG. 15B It is a side view during execution of the soft mode,
showing the energy absorption process of the big collision object by the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0079]FIG. 16 It is a diagram showing a time change of a support load in
the energy absorption process of the big collision object by the vehicle
safety device according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0080]FIG. 17A It is a perspective view of a collision preparing state,
showing an energy absorption process of a small collision object by the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0081]FIG. 17B It is a perspective view during execution of the soft mode,
showing the energy absorption process of the small collision object by
the vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0082]FIG. 18 It is a diagram showing a time change of a support load in
the energy absorption process of the small collision object by the
vehicle safety device according to the second embodiment of the
invention.

[0083]FIG. 19 It is a side view showing schematically a vehicle safety
device according to a third embodiment of the invention.

[0084]FIG. 20 It is a side view showing schematically an unfolded state of
the vehicle safety device according to the third embodiment of the
invention.

[0085]FIG. 21 It is a perspective view showing a storage state of a
vehicle safety device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

[0086]FIG. 22 It is a perspective view showing an unfolded state of the
vehicle safety device according to the fourth embodiment of the
invention.

[0087]FIG. 23A, FIG. 23B, FIG. 23c, FIG. 23D, FIG. 23E They are side views
showing energy absorption process of a collision object in case that
control for energy absorption is not performed, which corresponds to FIG.
14.

[0088]FIG. 24A, FIG. 24B They are perspective views showing energy
absorption process of a big collision object in case that control for
energy absorption is not performed, which corresponds to FIG. 15.

[0089]FIG. 25A, FIG. 25B They are perspective views showing energy
absorption process of a small collision object in case that control for
energy absorption is not performed, which corresponds to FIG. 17.

[0090]FIG. 26 It is a plan view showing a state before impact absorption
of a vehicle safety device according to a fifth embodiment of the
invention.

[0091]FIG. 27 It is a plan view showing a state after impact absorption of
the vehicle safety device according to the fifth embodiment of the
invention.

BEST MODE OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

[0092]A vehicle safety device 10 according to a first embodiment of the
invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. An arrow FR,
an arrow UP, an arrow LH, and an arrow RH shown appropriately in each
figure represent a front direction (running direction) in a vehicle body
front-rear direction of an automobile 11 to which the vehicle safety
device 10 is applied, an upper direction in a vehicle body up-down
direction, a left direction if the automobile 11 faces to the direction
of the arrow FR, and a right direction if the automobile 11 faces to the
direction of the arrow FR, respectively. Namely, the arrow LH and the
arrow RH show, based on the center in the vehicle width direction, the
outside in the vehicle width direction, respectively.

[0093]In FIG. 1, the vehicle safety device 10 applied to the automobile 11
is shown in perspective. As shown in this figure, the vehicle safety
device 10 includes an impact absorption structural body 12 as an impact
absorption body, which is provided at the front portion of the vehicle
body 11, and faces forward and upward (takes a backward slanting state
with respect to a perpendicular surface). The impact absorption
structural body 12 is supported in the above backward slanting state with
respect to a front side member 14 forming a frame of the vehicle body
front portion of the automobile 11. The vehicle safety device 10 will be
concretely explained below.

[0094]The impact absorption structural body 12 has a pair of left and
right side frames 16 as a support portion which is long in the vehicle
body front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the pair of left and right
side frames 16 is formed of a high-rigid member having a closed-section
structure, such as a pipe material. For example, the sectional shape of
each side frame 16 may be circular or rectangular. The pair of left and
right side frames 16 are arranged on the upper side of their
corresponding front side member 14, a front end portion 16A of each side
frame 16 is supported pivotably around a pivot 19 along the vehicle width
direction through a bracket 18 by the front end portion of the front side
member 14, and an intermediate portion 16B in the longitudinal direction
of each side frame 16 is supported by the front side member 14 through an
actuator 20 as a drive unit.

[0095]In this support state, the pair of left and right side frames 16, so
that each front end portion 16A is located in the lower position than the
intermediate portion 16B in the longitudinal direction, that is, than a
back end portion 16C, slants with respect to a horizontal surface (the
vehicle body front-rear direction). An impact absorption member 22 as an
impact absorption unit which is long in the vehicle width direction
bridges the left and right side frames 16. In this embodiment, the plural
(four in this embodiment) impact absorption members 22 spaced in parallel
in the longitudinal direction of each side frame 16 are bridge the left
and right side frames 16.

[0096]Each of the impact absorption member 22 includes a collision object
receiving portion 24 as a load input portion which is long in the vehicle
width direction, and a pair of legs 26 which are hung down from both ends
in the longitudinal direction of the collision object receiving portion
24. In this embodiment, the collision object receiving portion 24 is
formed in the shape of a plate along a parallel direction of the plural
impact absorption members 22, and the pair of legs 26 continue to the
collision object receiving portion 24 with the same width as if they were
fold at a substantially right angle with the collision object receiving
portion 24. Accordingly, the impact absorption member 22 is formed in the
substantially U-shape opening downward seen from the end in its width
direction.

[0097]As shown also in FIG. 2A, in each of the impact absorption members
22, an end portion 26A on the opposite side to the collision object
receiving portion 24 side of each leg 26 is fixed to the upper surface
side of the side frame 16 located on the same side in the vehicle width
direction as the leg side, and the impact absorption member 22 forms the
collision absorption structural body 12 together with the pair of side
frames 16. Therefore, the collision object receiving portion 24 of the
impact absorption member 22 is located above the left and right side
frames 16. In the impact absorption member 22 forming the substantially
U-shape as described above, the pair of legs 26 are fixed to the side
frames 16 so that the relative displacement (contact and separation
mainly in the vehicle width direction) of the respective ends 26A is
regulated and only the rotation around the axis in the longitudinal
direction of the side frame 16 is permitted, whereby a displacement-load
characteristic shown by a solid line in FIG. 3 is obtained if a forced
displacement in the direction of an arrow A is applied to the center
portion in the vehicle width direction of the collision object receiving
portion 24 as shown in FIG. 2B.

[0098]Namely, each impact absorption member 22 is configured such that
there is produced therein a displacement area B (soft area) where an
increase in load is suppressed, accompanied by an increase in
displacement (deflection) in the direction of the arrow A (the plate
thickness direction) of each impact receiving portion 24. The ranges of
load and displacement in this displacement area B can be appropriately
set according to quality of material configuring the impact absorption
member 22, and a dimensional shape of the impact absorption member 22
(the collision receiving portion 24 and the pair of legs 26). Further,
the displacement-load characteristic of each impact absorption member 22
may be made different according to the installed position of the member
22.

[0099]The left and right actuators 20 are configured so as to be capable
of expanding and contracting in their longitudinal directions by for
example, hydraulic pressure, air pressure, or electric power. An upper
end 20A of the actuator 20 is supported by the side frame 16 pivotably
around a pivot 25 located along the vehicle width direction, and a lower
end 20B thereof is supported by the front side member 14 pivotably around
a pivot 27 located along the vehicle width direction. Each actuator 20
takes usually a contracted state as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4A, and extends
by actuation as shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 4A. By extension of
these actuators, the impact absorption structural body 12 rotates around
the pivot 19 so as to separate from the vehicle body, and the state of
the impact absorption structural body 12 changes from a storage state
(refer to FIG. 1) to a collision preparing state (refer to the imaginary
lines in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5).

[0100]The collision preparing state is a state in which the collision
absorption structural body 12 rotates around the pivot 19 by an angle
θ from the storage state, and the angle θ is set in a range
of about 50° to 80° in this embodiment. As shown in FIG.
4B, when the angle θ is in the range of about 50° to
80°, an average acceleration (value of integral) of the collision
object is reduced, from which it is known that this angle range
contributes to good energy absorption. It has been ascertained that the
effective (optimum) range of this angle θ does not depend on the
collision speed of the collision object with the impact absorption
structural body 12, but is substantially constant.

[0101]Further, the vehicle safety device 10 includes an ECU 32 as a
controller. As shown in FIG. 1, the ECU 32 is electrically connected to
each actuator 20 (In FIG. 1, only connection to one actuator 20 is
shown). Further, although illustration thereof is omitted, signals from
vehicle sensors such as a millimeter-wave radar (distance sensor), a
vehicle speed sensor, and a CCD camera (imaging device) are input to the
ECU 32 directly or via another ECU.

[0102]On the basis of these information, the ECU 32 predicts collision of
a collision object P. Since a method of such the prediction can use known
methods, its description is omitted. The ECU 32, if it has predicted the
collision of the collision object P, actuates each actuator 20.
Accordingly, in the vehicle safety device 10, if ECU 32 has predicted the
collision, the state of the impact absorption structural body 12 changes
from the storage state from the collision preparing state.

[0103]For example, the above-described impact absorption structural body
12 may be arranged below (inside) an engine hood having the soft
structure, and at least the portion except the both ends in the vehicle
width direction of the collision object receiving portion 24 may be
arranged, exposed on the engine hood. Further, a group of the collision
object receiving portions 24 (impact absorption members 22) itself may be
covered with a coated layer to form the engine hood. In this embodiment,
the four impact absorption members 22 are arranged so as to equalize
substantially the engine hood in plain view.

[0104]Further, the vehicle safety device 10 includes a bounce-up portion
28 as a guide unit. The bounce-up portion 28 is configured by bridging a
bounce-up bar 30 between lower portions 18A of the left and right
brackets 18 which are extended to the downside of the front side member
14. The bounce-up bar 30 is spaced apart from the road surface by the
predetermined height at the front lower end portion of the automobile 11,
and configured as apart in the automobile 11 which comes into first
contact with the collision object on the road surface (as apart which
receives firstly the load substantially). Accordingly, if a lower portion
Pl of the collision object P which is long in the up-down direction has
collided with the bounce-up bar 30 as shown in FIG. 1, the lower portion
Pl of the collision object P is bounced up (scooped up), so that the
collision object P is led so as to fling itself on the collision
absorption structural body 12.

[0105]Next, operation of the exemplary embodiment will be explained.

[0106]In the automobile 11 to which the vehicle safety device 10 having
the above configuration is applied, the ECU 32, if the ECU 32 has
predicted that the collision object P collides with the front surface of
the automobile 11 (has determined that probability of collision is equal
to or larger than a threshold), each actuates actuator 20. Then, the
actuators 20 expand respectively by the predetermined amount, and the
state of the impact absorption structural body 12 changes, as shown in
FIG. 5A, to the collision preparing state by this expansion.

[0107]In this automobile 11, when the collision object P collides with the
front surface side of the automobile 11, firstly, as shown in FIG. 5A,
the bounce-up bar 30 of the bounce-up portion 28 comes into contact with
the lower portion Pl of the collision object P, and the collision object
P, as shown in FIG. 5B, is led onto the impact absorption structural body
12 (with a back-downward component of velocity) so that the lower portion
Pl is scooped.

[0108]Then, the collision object P comes into contact with the collision
object receiving portion 24 of each impact absorption member 22
configuring the impact absorption structural body 12. The impact
absorption member 22, so that the collision object receiving body 24 is
pressed mainly by a upper portion Pu of the collision object P, is
deflected, as shown in FIG. 5c, to the downside (vehicle body side) in
the thickness direction while supporting a collision load. Hereby, the
impact energy in which the support load is integrated by displacement is
absorbed by the impact absorption structural body 12.

[0109]Here, in the vehicle safety device 10, since the impact absorption
structural body 12 is configured by the impact absorption member 22 which
produces the displacement area B (refer to FIG. 3) that suppresses an
increase in support load (>>0) accompanied by an increase in
displacement, the collision object P comes into soft contact with the
impact absorption structural body 12, and the impact energy is absorbed
so that the collision object P is caught softly, whereby the collision
object P is released from the collision state. Hereby, it is prevented
that a large load (peak load) acts on the collision object P during
absorption of the impact energy.

[0110]Further, in the vehicle safety device 10, since the impact
absorption structural body 12 takes the collision preparing state before
the collision with the collision object P, an impact absorption stroke by
the impact absorption structural body 12 is secured enough. Hereby, the
displacement of the impact absorption structural body 12 (collision
object receiving portion 24, collision object P) is not regulated during
the impact absorption, and a favorable impact absorption characteristic
(soft characteristic shown in FIG. 3) of the impact absorption structural
body 12 can be fully expressed.

[0111]Thus, in the vehicle safety device 10 according to the first
embodiment of the invention, it is possible to alleviate the collision
load acting on the collision object P. Namely, the collision object P can
be protected from the collision, that is, collision safety performance
improves for the collision object P.

[0112]Further, since the vehicle safety device 10 includes the bounce-up
portion 28, the vehicle safety device 10 can lead the collision object P
surely onto the impact absorption structural body 12 thereby to absorb
the impact energy (protect the collision object P) satisfactorily as
described above.

[0113]Next, other embodiments of the invention will be described. The
basically same parts and portions as those in the above first embodiment
or the aforementioned configuration are denoted by the same symbols as
those in the above first embodiment or the aforementioned configuration,
their description will be omitted, and their illustration representation
can be omitted.

Second Embodiment

[0114]FIG. 6 shows schematically a storage state of a vehicle safety
device 40 according to a second embodiment of the invention in a side
view. FIG. 7 shows schematically an unfolded state of the vehicle safety
device 40 in a side view. As shown in these figures, the vehicle safety
device 40 is different, in that an impact absorption structure 42 as an
impact absorption unit which can take a storage state and an unfolded
state is provided, from the vehicle safety device 10 having the impact
absorption structural body 12 fixed to the front side member 14.

[0115]As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the impact absorption structure 42
includes a collision object receiving portion 44 as a load input portion,
and a drive mechanism 46 as a drive unit for supporting the collision
object receiving body 44 with respect to a vehicle body and driving the
collision object receiving body 44 between the storage state and the
unfolded state.

[0116]The collision object receiving body 44 includes a pair of left and
right side frames 48 extending in the front-rear direction, and a
collision object receiving member 50 bridging between the pair of left
and right side frames 48. The pair of left and right side frames 48 is
formed by coupling a back frame 48B to a back end side of a front frame
48A which is long in the front-rear direction. In the embodiment, the
front frame 48A and the back frame 48B are fixed to each other so as to
form an obtuse angle with each other and so that the obtuse angle is kept
constant. Accordingly, the pair of left and right side frames 48 may be
configured respectively by a single member.

[0117]The collision object receiving members 50 are long in the width
direction respectively, and bridging between the pair of left and right
side frames 48 at the different portions in the front-rear direction of
the frames 48. In this embodiment, three collision object receiving
members 50 are provided at a front end, an intermediate portion (corner
between the front frame 48A and the back frame 48B), and a back end
between the pair of left and right side frames 48, respectively.
Accordingly, the collision object receiving portion 44 is formed in a
substantial partitioned rectangle shape in plan view (a the shape in
which two rectangular frames are connected). Although illustration
thereof is omitted, the collision object receiving portion 44 is stored
(accommodated), so as to be capable of advancing and retreating, in a
storage portion formed in the substantial partitioned rectangle shape in
plan view, in an engine hood. This storage state is a state where the
collision object receiving portion 44 takes the storage state (close
position) as shown in FIG. 6.

[0118]Each collision object receiving member 50 configuring this impact
absorption structure 42 is formed of material (for example, rubber
material) which has flexibility that is deflectable and expandable and
which has high strength. Hereby, the impact absorption structure 42 has
the configuration in which the collision object receiving member 50 can
be deflected without contacting and separating the pair of left and right
side frames 48. Further, the engine hood may have soft structure to be
coupled through the collision absorption structure 42 to the drive
mechanism 46.

[0119]The drive mechanism 46 includes a quadric crank chain 52, and an
actuator 54 which gives the drive force to the quadric crank chain 52.
The quadric crank chain 52 includes a fixed link 56 which is fixed to the
vehicle body, a pair of front and back intermediate links 58 which are
coupled to front and back ends of the fixed link 56 pivotably around link
shafts 52A and 52B, an upper output link 60 which is coupled to each
upper end of the pair of intermediate links 58 pivotably around link
shafts 52C and 52D, and a lower output link 62 which is coupled to each
intermediate portion of the pair of intermediate links 58 pivotably
around link shafts 52E and 52F. The fixed link 56, the upper output link
60, and the lower output link 62 are provided in parallel with one
another, and the pair of front and back intermediate links 58 are
provided in parallel with each other.

[0120]Regarding the upper output link 60, its leading end extended forward
of the link shaft 52C that is a coupling point with the front
intermediate link 58 is coupled to an intermediate portion in the
longitudinal direction of the collision object receiving portion 44 (side
frame 48) pivotably around a link shaft 52G. Regarding the lower output
link 62, its leading end extended forward of the link shaft 52E that is a
coupling point with the front intermediate link 58 is coupled to a front
end portion in the collision object receiving portion 44 (side frame 48)
pivotably around a link shaft 52H. In this embodiment, the link shafts
52G and 52H are arranged at the coupling portions of the side frame 48 to
the collision object receiving members 50.

[0121]The actuator 54, in this embodiment, is a motor actuator (motor
having a reduction gear), and is operated thereby to rotate the
intermediate link 58 located on the back side of the fixed link 56 around
the link shaft 52B. The actuator 54 can rotate normally and reversely.
When the actuator 54 rotates normally, the intermediate link 58 is
rotated in a direction of an arrow C in FIG. 6; and when the actuator 54
rotates reversely, the pair of front and back intermediate links 58 are
rotated in a direction of an arrow D.

[0122]When the actuator 54 is rotated normally from the storage state of
the collision object receiving portion 44 shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the
collision object receiving portion 44 moves from the storage state to an
direction of an arrow E as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, and the state of the
collision object receiving portion 44 changes to the unfolded state
(separated position). The unfolded state may be set as a predetermined
state with respect to the vehicle body. However, in this embodiment, the
unfolded state can be adjusted to a predetermined state according to the
rotational amount of the actuator 54. Further, in the impact absorption
structure 42, by rotating the actuator 54 reversely from the unfolded
state, the collision object receiving portion 44 is displaced to a
reversion side to the storage state, that is, to the vehicle body side.
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the impact absorption structure 42 includes
an ECU 64 as a controller which controls the actuator 54. The control of
this ECU 64 will be described later.

[0123]Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the vehicle safety device 40
includes a bounce-up mechanism 66 as a guide unit. The bounce-up
mechanism 66 includes a pair of left and right swing arms 68 as an
advance and retreat member, of which upper ends are independently
supported pivotably by the pair of left and right side frames 48; a
bounce-up bar 70 as a lead member, which is bridging between the lower
ends of the pair of left and right swing arms 68, a coupling bar 72 which
is bridging between the intermediate portions in the up-down direction of
the pair of left and right swing arms 68; and a pair of actuators 74
(only one is shown in FIG. 6) as a lead driving member for driving the
rotation of the pair of the left and right swing arms 68 independently.

[0124]The bounce-up bar 70 and the coupling bar 72 are respectively formed
of material (for example, rubber material) which has flexibility that is
deflectable and expandable and which has high strength. Regarding the
bounce-up bar 70, the state shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 is a storage state,
and the state shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 6 is a bounce-up state.

[0125]The bounce-up mechanism 66 rotates the pair of left and right swing
arms 68 in a direction of an arrow F and moves (protrudes) the bounce-up
bar 70 forward, thereby to bounce up (scoop) a lower portion Pl of a
collision object P and lead (bounce up) the collision object P onto the
collision object receiving portion 44. Further, the bounce-up mechanism
66 makes the rotational amount of the left and right swing arms 68
different, whereby the bounce-up bar 70 can be moved forward at a state
slant with respect to the vehicle width direction in plane view. Hereby,
if the collision object P comes contact with the bounce-up bar 70 in an
offset state from the center portion in the width direction, the swing
arm 68 on the offset side (collision side) is rotated larger in the
direction of the arrow F than the swing arm 68 on the opposite side,
whereby the collision object P can be led to the center portion in the
width direction of the collision receiving portion 44 as shown in FIGS.
10A and 10B.

[0126]Further, the bounce-up mechanism 66, by rotating the swing arm 68 on
the opposite side (reverse collision side) larger in the direction of the
arrow F than the swing arm 68 on the offset side, can lead (eject) the
collision object P to the outside in the width direction of the
automobile 11 as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. Namely, in this embodiment,
the bounce-up mechanism 66 functions also as an expelling unit in the
invention.

[0127]In the bounce-up mechanism 66, the operation of each actuator 74 is
controlled by the ECU 64 as a lead controller. Namely, in the vehicle
safety device 40, the controller for the impact absorption structure 42
and the controller for the bounce-up mechanism 66 are made common. The
ECU, as shown in FIG. 6, is electrically connected to the actuator 54 and
the pair of actuators 74. Further, although illustration thereof is
omitted, signals from vehicle sensors such as a millimeter-wave radar
(distance sensor), a vehicle speed sensor, and a CCD camera (imaging
device) are input to the ECU 64 directly or via another ECU.

[0128]On the basis of these information, the ECU 64 predicts and detects
whether a collision is predicted, whether the collision is unavoidable,
the collision speed, and the size of a collision object. Since a
prediction and detection method of them can use known methods, its
description is omitted. Further, in this embodiment, the ECU 64, on the
basis of the above information, predicts and detects whether a predicted
collision position of the collision object P is or is not offset from the
center portion in the vehicle width direction (predicts and detects an
offset amount), and whether the collision object P that collides in an
offset state can be led to the center portion in the vehicle width
direction of the collision object receiving portion 44 by the bounce-up
mechanism 66. Further, the ECU 64, on the basis of results of the above
prediction and detection, controls the actuator 54 and the pair of
actuators 74. This control will be described later together with the
operation of this embodiment.

[0129]Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described with
reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 12.

[0130]In the vehicle safety device 40 having the above configuration, the
ECU 64 inputs information from the sensors in a step S10, and determines
whether collision (front collision) is predicted in a step S12. If the
collision is not predicted, the ECU 64 returns to the step S10. On the
other hand, if the collision is predicted, the ECU 64 proceeds to a step
S14 and determines whether the collision is unavoidable. If the ECU 64
determines that the collision is not unavoidable, the ECU 64 proceeds to
a step S16, outputs an command of avoidance operation, and returns to the
step S10. Till the ECU 64 determines in the step S12 that the collision
is not predicted (the collision has been avoided) or the ECU 64
determines in the step S16 that the collision is unavoidable, a loop
passing through the step S16 is repeated. As the collision avoidance
operations, there are actuation of the alarm which urges a driver on
brake operation or steering, automatic (forced) braking, automatic
(forced) steering, and the like.

[0131]If the ECU 64 determines in the step S16 that the collision is
unavoidable, the ECU 64 proceeds to a step S18, calculates the collision
speed, and thereafter proceeds to a step S20. In the step S20, the ECU 64
determines whether the predicted collision position of the collision
object P is offset from the center in the vehicle width direction. If the
ECU 64 determined that the predicted collision position of the collision
object P is offset, the ECU 64 proceeds to a step S22, and determines
whether the collision object P can be led to the center portion in the
vehicle width direction.

[0132]If the ECU 64 determined in the step S22 that the collision object P
cannot be led to the center portion in the vehicle width direction (and
ejection is effective), the ECU 64 proceeds to a step S24, and actuates
the pair of actuators 74 so that the swing arm 68 on the reverse
collision side of the collision object P rotates larger than the swing
arm 68 on the collision side. Hereby, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the
bounce-up bar 70 takes a slant state where the forward protrusion amount
on the offset side of the collision object P in the vehicle width
direction is smaller than the protrusion amount on the opposite side.
When the collision object P comes in contact with the bounce-up bar 70,
the collision object P is led the outside in the vehicle width direction
of the automobile 11 on the collision object receiving portion 44. After
execution of a step S24, the ECU 64 completes the control.

[0133]On the other hand, if the ECU 64 determined in the step S22 that the
collision object P can be led to the center portion in the vehicle width
direction, the ECU 64 proceeds to a step S26, and actuates the pair of
actuators 74 so that the swing arm 68 on the collision side of the
collision object P rotates larger than the swing arm 68 on the opposite
side. Hereby, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the bounce-up bar 70 takes a
slant state where the offset side of the collision object P in the
vehicle width direction is protruded forward more largely than the
opposite side. When the collision object P comes in contact with the
bounce-up bar 70, the collision object P is led to the center portion in
the vehicle width direction on the collision object receiving portion 44.

[0134]On the other hand, if the ECU 64 determined in the step S20 that the
predicted collision position of the collision object P is not offset, ECU
64 proceeds to a step S28, and rotates the pair of left and right swing
arms 68 equally. When the collision object P comes in contact with the
center portion in the vehicle width direction of the bounce-up bar 70,
the collision object P is led to the center portion in the vehicle width
direction on the collision object receiving portion 44.

[0135]After execution of the step S26 or the step S28, the ECU 64 proceeds
to a step S30. In the step S30, the ECU 64 determines the size of the
collision object. If the ECU 64 determined that the size of the collision
object is big, the ECU 64 proceeds to a step S32, executes a soft mode
for a big collision object according to the collision speed calculated in
the step S18. If the ECU 64 determined that the size of the collision
object is not big, the ECU 64 proceeds to a step S34, and executes a soft
mode for a small collision object according to the collision speed
calculated in the step S18.

[0136]Here, in a process in which the impact absorption structure 42 is
displaced to absorb the impact energy while supporting the collision load
of the collision object P that has collided with the collision object
receiving portion 44, the soft mode is an operation of driving the
collision receiving portion 44 from the unfolded state to the storage
state side (in the direction shown by the arrow G in FIGS. 7 and 8) by
the drive force of the actuator 54 (actively), so that a displacement
area B (refer to FIG. 3) which suppresses the increase in supporting load
(>>0) accompanied by the increase in displacement is produced. The
ECU 64, in the soft mode for the big collision object, gives the control
variable to the actuator 54 (drive mechanism 46) as shown by a solid line
in FIG. 13 (performs feedforward control). On the other hand, in the soft
mode for the small collision object, the ECU 64 gives the control
variable to the actuator 54 as shown by a dashed line in FIG. 13. The
control variable shown in FIG. 13 is an example. The ECU 64 stores plural
control patterns (dynamic characteristics of the collision object P)
according to collision patterns (collision speed in this embodiment), and
selects the control pattern according to the collision speed calculated
in the step S18.

[0137]Firstly, the operation from the state immediately before the
collision object P collides to execution of the soft mode for the big
collision object will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. If
the collision object P approaches the vehicle safety device 40
(automobile 11) as shown in FIG. 14A, and it is determined that the
collision is unavoidable, the ECU 64 actuates the bounce-up mechanism 66
as shown in FIG. 14B, and bounces up the lower portion Pl of the
collision object P by device of the bounce-up bar 70. Next, the ECU 64
starts the soft mode for the big collision object.

[0138]Specifically, the ECU 64, before the collision object P collides
with the collision object receiving portion 44, rotates the actuator 54
normally, and drives the collision object receiving portion 44 in the
unfolded state (collision preparing position). The collision object P, as
shown in FIGS. 14C and 15A, collides with the collision object receiving
portion 44 (the center portion in the vehicle width direction of the
collision object receiving portion 44) located in the unfolded state.
Further, as shown in FIG. 14D, over time, the upper portion Pu of the
collision object P begins to collide by falling on the collision object
receiving portion 44. Thereupon, the ECU 64 rotates the actuator 54
reversely, and moves the collision object receiving portion 44 to the
storage state side as shown in FIG. 14(E) and FIG. 15B. Hereby, an
increase in collision load (reaction force) acting on the collision
object P during absorption of the impact energy, that is, on the
collision object P due to the movement of the collision object receiving
portion 44 to the storage state side, is suppressed, and the impact
energy can be absorbed at a substantially constant load similarly to the
case shown in FIG. 3.

[0139]Hereby, in the vehicle safety device 40, as shown in FIG. 16,
compared with the case where the soft mode is not executed (refer to a
dashed line in the same figure), the collision load (peak load) acting on
the collision object P can be made small greatly. Further, FIG. 16 shows
a numeral value calculation example of acceleration (load) acting on the
collision object P in the collision time if the collision object P is
big, in which object of comparison is, as shown in FIGS. 23A to 23E, and
FIGS. 24A and 24B, acceleration acting on the collision object P if the
collision object receiving portion 44 is always kept in the storage state
in the automobile 11 having the vehicle safety device 40.

[0140]Next, the different point between the soft mode for the small
collision object and the soft mode for the big collision object will be
described. Regarding the unfolded state in the soft mode for the small
collision object shown in FIG. 17A, compared with the unfolded state in
the soft mode for the big collision object shown in FIG. 15A, the moving
amount to the storage state, that is, the impact absorption stroke is set
small (refer to also FIG. 13). Also in the soft mode for the small
collision object, the ECU 64, after the upper portion Pu of the collision
object P has collided with the collision object receiving portion 44,
rotates the actuator 54 reversely, and moves the collision object
receiving portion 44 to the storage state side, as shown in FIG. 17B.

[0141]Accordingly, if the collision object P is small, that is, assuming
that the collision speed is the same and also if the collision energy is
small compared with the case of the collision of the big collision
object, the increase in the collision load (reaction force) with the
movement of the collision object P and the collision object receiving
portion 44 to the storage state side is suppressed during the impact
energy absorption, so that the impact energy can be absorbed at the
substantially constant load similarly to the case shown in FIG. 3. By the
control shown by the dashed line in FIG. 13, if the collision speed is
the same, the load acting on the small collision object is suppressed
more than the load acting on the big collision object, so that the small
collision object is caught more softly.

[0142]In the vehicle safety device 40, as shown in FIG. 18, compared with
the case that the soft mode is not executed (refer to a dashed line in
FIG. 18), the load acting on the small collision object can be suppressed
more greatly. Further, FIG. 18 shows a numeral value calculation example
of acceleration (load) acting on the collision object P in the collision
time if the collision object P is small, in which object of comparison
is, as shown in FIGS. 25A and 25B, acceleration acting on the collision
object P if the collision object receiving portion 44 is always located
in the storage state in the automobile 11 having the vehicle safety
device 40.

[0143]As described above, in the vehicle safety device 40 according to the
second embodiment, by driving the impact absorption structure 42 by
device of the drive mechanism 46, the displacement area which suppresses
the increase in load onto the collision object accompanied by the
increase in displacement can be produced (the soft mode can be executed).
Specifically, in the vehicle safety device 40, by moving the collision
object receiving portion 44 to the unfolded state before the collision,
the collision absorption stroke can be created; and by moving the
collision object receiving portion 44 with which the collision object has
collided to the storage state side by the drive force of the drive
mechanism 46 (actuator 54), the soft mode can be realized.

[0144]Further, in the vehicle safety device 40, since the ECU 64 predicts
the collision speed and the size of the collision object P, selects a
soft mode on the basis of the prediction results, and executes the
selected soft mode; the impact energy can be appropriately absorbed
according to various impact patterns. Namely, in the vehicle safety
device 40, the effective absorption of the impact energy is not performed
in accordance with a previously assumed impact pattern, but rather, the
appropriate absorption of the impact energy is performed depending on the
actual impact pattern, and thereby the collision object P can be
protected in various collision patterns. Further, hereby, the automobile
11 can be also protected from the collision of the collision object P.

[0145]Further, since the vehicle safety device 40 includes the bounce-up
mechanism 66, the collision object P is surely led onto the collision
object receiving portion 44 of the impact absorption structure 42, so
that the impact energy can be satisfactorily absorbed as described above
(the collision object P can be protected). Further, in the vehicle safety
device 40, since the bounce-up mechanism 66 can lead the collision object
P to the center portion in the vehicle width direction of the collision
object receiving portion 44 regardless of the collision position of the
collision object P in the vehicle width direction of the bounce-up bar
70, the appropriate absorption of the impact energy can be performed
regardless of the collision position of the collision object P. Further,
the bounce-up mechanism 66, since the pair of left and right swing arms
provided on the both end sides of the bounce-up bar 70 can be
independently driven, can lead the collision object P which collides with
the offset position from the center portion in the vehicle width
direction of the bounce-up bar 70 to the center portion in the vehicle
width direction of the collision object receiving portion 44 by simple
structure. Further, in place of the bounce-up portion 28, this bounce-up
mechanism 66 may be applied to the vehicle safety device 10.

[0146]Furthermore, in the vehicle safety device 40, if the collision
object P cannot be led to the center portion in the vehicle width
direction of the collision object receiving portion 44 by the bounce-up
mechanism 66, the collision object P is led (ejected) by the bounce-up
mechanism 66 to the outside in the vehicle width direction of the
automobile 11. Therefore, it is prevented that the collision object P
collides with the portions other than the collision object receiving
portion 44.

Third Embodiment

[0147]FIG. 19 is a schematic side view showing a vehicle safety device 80
according to a third embodiment of the invention. As shown in this
figure, the vehicle safety device 80 is different from the vehicle safety
device 40 according to the second embodiment in that an impact absorption
structure 82 as an impact absorption unit includes a drive mechanism 84
as a drive unit in place of the drive mechanism 46.

[0148]In the impact absorption structure 82, a collision object receiving
portion 44 is pivotally supported around a rotational shaft 86 located
along the vehicle width direction at the front end portion (near the
installation position of a most front collision object receiving member
50). Therefore, regarding the collision object receiving portion 44, its
storage state coincides with the storage state in the vehicle safety
device 40, and its unfolded state is, as shown in FIG. 20, a position
where the collision object receiving portion 44 rotates around the
rotational shaft in the direction of an arrow H. The drive mechanism 84
of this impact absorption structure 82 does not have a lower output link
62, and a leading end of an upper output link 60 engages with a
corresponding side frame 48 slidably in the longitudinal direction
(although illustration thereof is omitted, for example, a pin provided
for the upper output link 60 is fitted into a long hole of the side frame
48).

[0149]Hereby, in the drive mechanism 84, when an actuator 54 rotates
normally, an intermediate link 58 rotates in the direction of an arrow C
and the collision object receiving portion 44 is moved to the unfolded
position. When the actuator 54 rotates reversely from the unfolded
position, the intermediate link 58 rotates in the direction of an arrow
D, and the collision object receiving portion 44 moves to the storage
position side (the direction of an arrow I) (a soft mode is executed).
Other configuration of the vehicle safety device 80 is the same as the
corresponding configuration of the vehicle safety device 40. Accordingly,
also in the vehicle safety device 80 according to the third embodiment,
by the similar operation to the operation of the vehicle safety device 40
according to the second embodiment, the similar effect can be obtained.

Fourth Embodiment

[0150]FIG. 21 is a schematic perspective view showing a storage state of a
vehicle safety device 90 according to a fourth embodiment of the
invention, and FIG. 22 is a schematic perspective view showing a unfolded
state of the vehicle safety device 90. As shown in these figures, the
vehicle safety device 90 is different from the vehicle safety device 40
according to the second embodiment in that an impact absorption structure
92 as an impact absorption unit configuring the vehicle safety device 90
includes, in place of the collision object receiving portion 44 in which
the collision object receiving members 50 are bridging between the pair
of left and right side frames 48, a collision object receiving portion 94
as a load input portion in which impact absorption members 22 are
bridging between side frames 48.

[0151]The collision object receiving portion 94 is configured by fixing an
end portion 26A on the opposite side to the collision object receiving
body 24 side of a pair of legs 26 configuring the impact absorption
member 22 to the upper surface side of the corresponding side frame 48.
Other configuration of the vehicle safety device 90 is the same as the
corresponding configuration of the vehicle safety device 40. Accordingly,
also in the vehicle safety device 90 according to the fourth embodiment,
by the similar operation to the operation of the vehicle safety device 40
according to the second embodiment, the similar effect can be obtained.

[0152]Further, in the vehicle safety device 90, since the impact
absorption member 22 configuring the impact absorption structure 92 can
itself produce a displacement area (soft area) which suppresses an
increase in supporting load accompanied by an increase in displacement of
a collision object P, a favorable soft mode can be realized in a smaller
operation stroke of the collision object receiving portion 94. For
example, if the amount of increase in the supporting load due to the
impact absorption member 22 becomes equal to or greater than a
predetermined value, driving of the collision object receiving portion 94
to the storage position side by the drive mechanism 46 may be initiated.

Fifth Embodiment

[0153]A vehicle safety device 100 according to a fifth embodiment of the
invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 26 and 27.

[0154]FIG. 26 is a schematic plan view showing a vehicle safety device 100
(in a collision preparing state described later) which is applied to an
automobile 11. As shown in this figure, the vehicle safety device 100
includes a collision absorption structural body 102 as an impact
absorption portion which is provided at the vehicle body front portion of
the automobile 11, and faces forward and upward (takes a backward
slanting state with respect to a perpendicular surface). The impact
absorption structural body 102 is supported in the above backward
slanting state by front side members 14 forming a frame of the vehicle
body front portion of the automobile 11. The vehicle safety device 100
will be concretely described below.

[0155]The impact absorption structural body 102 has a pair of left and
right side frames 16 as a support portion which is long in the vehicle
body front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the pair of left and right
side frames 16 is formed of a high-rigid member having a closed-section
structure, such as a pipe material. Further, in this embodiment, each
side frame 16 has a circular sectional shape (peripheral surface is
cylindrical surface). The pair of left and right side frames 16 are
arranged on the upper side of their corresponding front side members 14,
a front end portion 16A of each side frame 16 is supported pivotably
around a pivot 19 along the vehicle width direction through a bracket 18
at the front end portion of the front side member 14, and an intermediate
portion 16B in the longitudinal direction of each side frame 16 is
supported by the front side member 14 through an actuator 20 as an impact
absorption portion driving unit.

[0156]In this support state, the pair of left and right side frames 16, so
that each front end portion 16A is located in the lower position than the
intermediate portion 16B in the longitudinal direction, that is, than a
back end portion 16C, slants with respect to a horizontal surface (the
vehicle body front-rear direction). An impact absorption member 106 as an
elastic member which is long in the vehicle width direction is laid
between the left and right side frames 16. In this embodiment, the plural
(four in this embodiment) impact absorption members 106 spaced in
parallel in the longitudinal direction of each side frame 16 are bridging
between the left and right side frames 16.

[0157]Each of the impact absorption member 106 includes a collision object
receiving portion 24 as a load input portion which is long in the vehicle
width direction, and a pair of legs 26 (corresponding to ends in the
longitudinal direction of the load input portion in the invention) which
are hung down from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the
collision object receiving portion 24. In this embodiment, the collision
object receiving portion 24 is formed in the shape of a plate along a
parallel direction of the plural impact absorption members 106, and the
pair of legs 26 continue to the collision object receiving portion 24
with the same width as if they were fold at a substantially right angle
with the collision object receiving portion 24. Accordingly, the impact
absorption member 106 is formed in the substantially U-shape opening
downward seen from the end in its width direction.

[0158]In each of the impact absorption members 106 in this embodiment, to
an end on the opposite side to the collision object receiving portion 24
side of each leg 26, a support portion 108 is fixed. Each support portion
108 is formed in the substantially cylindrical shape, and supported by
the corresponding side frame 16 pivotably (so that angular displacement
can be made) around a self-axis. Further, regarding each support portion
108, the relative displacement in the axial direction with respect to the
side frame 16 is prohibited by a not-shown stopper.

[0159]Therefore, the collision object receiving portion 24 of the impact
absorption member 106 is located above the left and right side frames 16.
In the impact absorption member 106 forming the substantially U-shape as
described above, the pair of legs 26 are supported to the side frame 16
through each support portion 108 so that the relative displacement
(contact and separation) in the vehicle width direction of each support
portion 108 is regulated and only the angular displacement around the
axis of the side frame 16 is permitted. Therefore, the impact absorption
member 106, if a forced displacement (deflection deformation) toward the
vehicle body side is applied to the center portion in the vehicle width
direction of the collision object receiving portion 24, obtains a
displacement-load characteristic shown by a solid line or an imaginary
line in FIG. 3.

[0160]Namely, each impact absorption member 106 has the configuration in
which there is produced a displacement area B (soft region) where an
increase in load is suppressed, accompanied by an increase in
displacement (deflection) in the vehicle body direction (the plate
thickness direction) of each impact receiving portion 24. The ranges of
load and displacement in this displacement area B can be appropriately
set according to quality of material configuring the impact absorption
member 106, and a dimensional shape of the impact absorption member 106
(the collision receiving portion 24 and the pair of legs 26). Further,
the displacement-load characteristic of each impact absorption member 106
may be made different according to the installed position of the member
106.

[0161]The left and right actuators 20 are configured so as to be capable
of expanding and contracting in their longitudinal directions by device
of hydraulic pressure, air pressure, or electric power. An upper end 20A
of the actuator 20 is supported by the side frame 16 pivotably around a
pivot 104 located along the vehicle width direction, and a lower end 20B
thereof is supported by the front side member 14 pivotably around a pivot
27 located along the vehicle width direction. Each actuator 20 takes
usually a contracted state, and extends by actuation. By extension of
these actuators, the impact absorption structural body 102 rotates around
the pivot 19 so as to separate from the vehicle body, and the state of
the impact absorption structural body 102 changes from a storage state to
a collision preparing state.

[0162]The collision preparing state is a state in which the collision
absorption structural body 102 rotates around the pivot 19 by an angle
θ with the storage state, and the angle θ in this embodiment
is set in a range θ of about 50° to 80° similarly to
that in the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the angle is in
the range of about 50° to 80°, an average acceleration
(value of integral) of the collision object is reduced, from which it is
known that this angle range contributes to good energy absorption. It has
been ascertained that the effective (optimum) range of this angle θ
does not depend on the collision speed of the collision object with the
impact absorption structural body 102, but is substantially contact.

[0163]The above-described impact absorption structural body 102 may be
arranged, for example, below (inside) an engine hood having the soft
structure, and at least the portion except the both ends in the vehicle
width direction of the collision object receiving portion 24 may be
arranged, exposed on the engine hood. Further, a group of the collision
object receiving portions 24 (impact absorption members 106) itself may
be covered with a coated layer to form the engine hood. In this
embodiment, the four impact absorption members 106 are arranged so as to
equalize substantially the engine hood in plain view.

[0164]Further, the vehicle safety device 100 includes a bounce-up portion
28 as a guide unit. The bounce-up portion 28 is configured by bridging a
bounce-up bar 30 between lower portions 18A of the left and right
brackets 18 which are extended to the downside of the front side member
14. The bounce-up bar 30 is spaced apart from the road surface by the
predetermined height at the front lower end portion of the automobile 11,
and configured as apart in the automobile 11 which comes into first
contact with a collision object on the road surface (as apart which
receives firstly the load substantially). Accordingly, if a lower portion
Pl of a collision object P which is long in the up-down direction has
collided with the bounce-up bar 30 as shown in FIG. 27, the low portion
Pl of the collision object P is bounced up (scooped up), so that the
collision object P is led so as to fling itself on the collision
absorption structural body 102 as shown in FIGS. 30B and 30C.

[0165]Further, the vehicle safety device 100 includes a collision object
retaining mechanism 110 for retaining the collision object P received by
the impact absorption structure 102. The collision object retaining
mechanism 110 includes as a main component thereof a rebound preventing
mechanism 112 as a reversion suppressing device for preventing rebound of
the collision object P that accompanies reversion of the impact
absorption members 106 configuring the impact absorption structural body
102 after absorption of the collision energy by the impact absorption
structural body 102. The rebound preventing mechanism 112 will be
described in more detail below.

[0166]As shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, the bounce-back preventing mechanism
112 is a ratchet mechanism including ratchet teeth (ratchet wheel) 116
formed on each support portion 108 of the impact absorption member 106,
and a ratchet 118 which meshes together with the ratchet teeth 116. This
bounce-back preventing mechanism 112, as shown in FIG. 27, permits the
pair of legs 26 to make angular displacement in a direction where the
respective legs falls inward of the vehicle width direction (in the
direction of an arrow H), while prohibits the pair of legs 26 from making
the angular displacement in the opposite direction (the direction of an
arrow I) to the direction of the arrow H.

[0167]Hereby, the rebound preventing mechanism 112 is configured as shown
in FIG. 27, such that the impact absorption member 106, in which the
collision object receiving portion 24 receives deflection deformation
through collision with the collision object P, while causing the pair of
legs 26 to fall in the direction of the arrow H, is prevented from
reverting from the deformed state thereof (i.e. from returning to the
state shown in FIG. 26). Namely, in the vehicle safety device 100, after
the absorption of collision energy of the collision object P by the
impact absorption structural body 102, the impact absorption member 106
is retained in the state shown in FIG. 27. Hereby, in the vehicle safety
device 100, separation of the collision object P from the impact
absorption structural body 102 accompanied by the reversion of the impact
absorption member 106 is prevented. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the
ratchet teeth 116 and the ratchet 118 configuring the bounce-back
preventing mechanism 112 as the reversion restraining device correspond
to the ratchet mechanism in the invention.

[0168]Further, the vehicle safety device 100 includes an ECU 32 as a
controller. The ECU 32 in this embodiment is electrically connected to
each actuator 20. Further, to the ECU 32, signals from vehicle sensors
such as a millimeter-wave radar (distance sensor), a vehicle speed
sensor, and a CCD camera (imaging device) are input directly or through
another ECU.

[0169]On the basis of these information, the ECU 32 predicts collision of
a collision object P. Since a method of such the prediction can use known
methods, its description is omitted. The ECU 32, if it has predicted the
collision of the collision object P, actuates each actuator 20.
Accordingly, in the vehicle safety device 100, if ECU 32 has predicted
the collision, the state of the impact absorption structural body 102
changes from the storage state from the collision preparing state.

[0170]As described above, the vehicle safety device 100 is different from
the vehicle safety device 10 in that: the impact absorption structural
body 102 provided in place of the impact absorption structural body 12
includes the impact absorption member 106 of which the pair of legs 26
can supported through the support portions 108 by the side frames 16 so
as to be capable of making the angular displacement, in place of the
impact absorption member 22 of which the pair of legs 26 are fixed to the
side frames 16; and the bounce-back preventing mechanism 112 which
regulates the displacement in the direction of the arrow I of the angular
displacements.

[0171]Next, the operation of the fifth embodiment will be described.

[0172]In the automobile 11 to which the vehicle safety device 100 having
the above configuration is applied, the ECU 32, if the ECU 32 has
predicted that the collision object P collides with the front surface of
the automobile 11 (has determined that probability of collision is equal
to or larger than a threshold), actuates each actuator 20. Then, the
actuators 20 expand respectively by the predetermined amount, and the
state of the impact absorption structural body 102 changes to the
collision preparing state by this expansion (similarly to the case shown
in FIG. 5A).

[0173]In this automobile 11, when the collision object P collides with the
front surface side of the automobile 11, firstly, the bounce-up bar 30 of
the bounce-up portion 28 comes into contact with a lower portion Pl of a
collision object P, and the collision object P is led onto the impact
absorption structural body 102 (with a back-downward component of
velocity) so that the lower portion Pl is scooped. Then, the collision
object P comes into contact with the collision object receiving portion
24 of each impact absorption member 106 configuring the impact absorption
structural body 102. The impact absorption member 106, so that the
collision object receiving body 24 is pressed mainly by a upper portion
Pu of the collision object P, is deflected to the downside (vehicle body
side) in the thickness direction while supporting a collision load.
Hereby, the impact energy in which the support load is integrated by
displacement is absorbed by the impact absorption structural body 102.

[0174]In the vehicle safety device 100, the collision energy of the
collision object P is absorbed by the deformation of each impact
absorption member 106; and when the deformation of the impact absorption
member 106 is stopped, the ratchet 118 meshes with the ratchet teeth 116
to prohibit each support portion 108 from rotating in the direction of
the arrow I. Accordingly, the impact absorption member 106, as shown in
FIG. 27 is retained in the deformation state (state) in completion of the
collision energy absorption of the collision object P. Therefore, the
bounce-back preventing mechanism 112 prevents bounce-back of the
collision object P accompanied by the reversion of the impact absorption
member 106.

[0175]As described above, in the vehicle safety device 100, by the
deformation of the impact absorption member 106 of the impact absorption
structural body 102, the collision energy of the collision object P is
absorbed. In particular, since the impact absorption structural body 102
shifts from the storage state to the collision preparing state and
receives the collision object P, an impact absorption (deformation)
stroke of the impact receiving portion 24 can be secured enough, so that
the collision load (peak collision load) acting on the collision object P
can be alleviated. Further, since the impact absorption member 106
configuring the impact absorption structural body 102 represents a
displacement-load characteristic shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, the
collision load acting on the collision object P can be alleviated more.

[0176]Further, in the vehicle safety device 100, since the deformation of
the impact absorption member 106 accompanied by the absorption of this
collision energy is retained by the bounce-back preventing mechanism 112
also after the absorption of the collision energy, it is prevented that
the collision object P falls down from the collision absorption
structural body 102 with the reversion of the impact absorption member
106.

[0177]Further, in the vehicle safety device 100, the bounce-back
preventing mechanism 112 fulfilling the above function with the simple
structure is composed mainly of the ratchet teeth 116 and the ratchet 118
provided for each support portion 108.

[0178]In the above embodiments, although apart of the embodiments of the
invention are exemplified as described above, the invention is not
limited to this, but it will be obvious that various modification of the
invention can be carried out. Accordingly, for example, if 102 according
to the fifth embodiment (the impact absorption member 106, the supporting
portion 108, and the bounce-back preventing mechanism 112) may be
applied, in place of the impact absorption member 22, to the vehicle
safety device 90 according to the fourth embodiment.

[0179]Further, in the above embodiments, although the example in which the
vehicle safety devices 10, 40, 80, 90 and 100 are applied to the vehicle
body front portion is shown, the invention is not limited to this, but
the vehicle safety device of the invention can be applied in each
position of the vehicle body.

[0180]Further, in the above second to fourth embodiments, although the
example in which the soft mode is realized by the feedforward control is
shown, the invention is not limited to this. For example, the soft mode
can be realized by various controls, such as a control in which the
supporting load due to the collision object receiving portion 44 is
detected and feedback control is performed, or in which this manner of
feedback control is added to the above feedforward control.

[0181]Further, in the above second to fourth embodiments, although the
example in which the collision object receiving portions 44 and 94 are
driven by the drive mechanism 46 and 84 including the quadric crank chain
is shown, the invention is not limited to this, for example, but the
collision object receiving portion 44 may be rotation-driven around the
rotational shaft 86 by an actuator such as a motor. Further, in the
vehicle safety devices 40, 80 an 90, since the quadric crank chain having
the two upper-lower output links 60 and 62, or the quadric crank chain
having the upper output link 60 which presses the position apart from the
rotational shaft 86 is used, compared with the configuration in which the
collision object receiving portion 44 is rotation-driven around the
rotational shaft 86 by the actuator such as the motor, the support
rigidity of the collision object P is readily obtained.

[0182]Similarly, in the first and fifth embodiments, although the example
in which the impact absorption structural body 12 is driven by the two
left-right actuators which expand and contract by the electric power is
shown, the invention is not limited to this, but it will be obvious that
various actuators and mechanism (combination of them) can be used.

[0183]Further, in the second to fourth embodiments, although the example
in which the collision object receiving member 50 or the collision
absorption member 22 constitutes the contact portion with the collision
object is shown P, the invention is not limited to this. For example, a
plate-like load input portion such as an engine hood may be driven by the
drive mechanism 46.

[0184]Furthermore, in the above each embodiment, although the example in
which the bounce-up portion 28 or the bounce-up mechanism 66 is provided
is shown, the invention is not limited to this. For example, the
configuration without this portion or mechanism may be adopted, or the
vehicle safety device may be provided with the bounce-up portion 28 or
the bounce-up mechanism 66 having another structure.

[0185]Further, in the above each embodiment, although the example in which
the displacement-load characteristic shown by the solid line in FIG. 3,
that is, the soft region in which the increase in support load
accompanied by the increase in displacement is suppressed is realized is
shown, the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown by a
two-dot chain lines in FIG. 3, the soft region may be realized by such as
displacement-load characteristic that the increase in load is reduced,
accompanied by the increase in displacement.

[0186]Further, in the above each embodiment, although the example in which
the collision object structural body 102 shifts to the collision
preparing state before the collision of the collision object P is shown,
the invention is not limited to this. For example, for the collision
absorption structural body (one or plural impact absorption members 106)
fixed to the vehicle body, the bounce-back preventing mechanism 112 may
be provided.

[0187]Further, in the above each embodiment, although the example in which
the impact absorption member 106 has the pair of legs 26 is shown, the
invention is not limited to this, but the both ends in the longitudinal
direction of the collision object receiving portion 24 may be fixed to
each support portion 108.

[0188]Furthermore, in the above each embodiment, although the example in
which the bounce-back preventing mechanism is configured by including the
ratchet mechanism as the reversion restraining device is shown, the
invention is not limited to this. For example, the bounce-back preventing
mechanism may be configured by including, as the reversion restraining
device, a one-way clutch which permits rotation of the support portion
108 in the direction of the arrow H and prohibits the rotation thereof in
the direction of the arrow I, or a brake unit (electromagnetic brake)
which operates thereby to prohibit rotation of the support portion 108
with respect to the side frame 16, 68.

Patent applications in class WITH MEANS FOR (1) PROTECTING MOTOR FROM IMPACT OF COLLISION, (2) UTILIZING MASS OF MOTOR TO ABSORB FORCE THEREOF, OR (3) PROTECTING OCCUPANT REGION OF VEHICLE FROM IMPACT-INDUCED SHIFTING OF MOTOR

Patent applications in all subclasses WITH MEANS FOR (1) PROTECTING MOTOR FROM IMPACT OF COLLISION, (2) UTILIZING MASS OF MOTOR TO ABSORB FORCE THEREOF, OR (3) PROTECTING OCCUPANT REGION OF VEHICLE FROM IMPACT-INDUCED SHIFTING OF MOTOR